SOUTH ISLAND TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY · Snapshot. to highlight the transportation systems for all...
Transcript of SOUTH ISLAND TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY · Snapshot. to highlight the transportation systems for all...
SOUTH ISLAND TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY
Technical Report no.1
Transportation Snapshot
September 2020
Part of the South Island Transportation
Strategy, the Technical Report no.1 -
Transportation Snapshot is intended to develop
an understanding of inter-regional travel
characteristics, highlight key transportation issues
and opportunities, and serve as a reference
document for subsequent phases of the Strategy
and other future initiatives.
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1. Overview
What is the South Island
Transportation Strategy?
The South Island Transportation Strategy
(referred to as the “Strategy”) is a comprehensive
assessment of the transportation challenges and
possible solutions for the South Island. The
Strategy was developed with input from
Indigenous, local, regional and provincial plans
and initiatives which are shaping the direction of
transportation in the region and across the
province.
While the strategy considered these plans and
initiatives to ensure alignment with the various
priorities across the region, it seeks to take them
a step further to prioritize transportation system
improvements through a bold and innovative
approach to integrated planning.
Inter-regional transportation is the focus of the
Strategy, with consideration of both Provincial
aspirations as well as Indigenous, local and
regional policy directions. The Strategy considers
all travel modes and opportunities for trips
utilizing a variety of transportation options.
Travel options given consideration include public
transit, active transportation, rail, marine and air
travel, and commercial and private vehicles.
Ultimately, the Strategy is about identifying
priorities for investment and the partnerships
required to advance integrated transportation
improvement strategies in the South Island over
the next 10 to 15 years.
The Process
The Strategy is being developed in multiple
stages starting with this Transportation
Snapshot to highlight the transportation
systems for all modes and challenges facing the
South Vancouver Island area. Subsequent stages
of the process are designed to examine possible
strategies and improvement options to serve
inter-regional travel and support Indigenous,
local and provincial priorities.
The ministry recognizes that the COVID-19
pandemic has impacted travel patterns across
the South Island. This document represents a
Snapshot of the conditions before the pandemic.
While the long-term effects of the current
situation remain unclear, the ministry will
continue to monitor travel patterns to ensure
that those effects on the network are better
understood and will use this to inform future
decisions.
Study Area
The study area is South Vancouver Island as far
west as Sooke and as far north as Duncan. This
area includes 14 municipalities, 16 Indigenous
Territories, and 2 Regional Districts. Refer to
Figure 1.
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Figure 1. South Island Study Area
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Previous Initiatives
There’s been a long history of planning and
implementing transportation system
improvements for all modes that support inter-
regional travel in the South Island area – from
transit and cycling along key corridors to
highway improvements to support movement of
people, goods and services. In fact, many of the
historical initiatives have involved extensive
discussions with affected stakeholders around
directions and potential partnerships.
Most relevant to this current initiative of inter-
regional travel in the South Island are several
studies centred on highways to support travel
choices for cars, trucks and transit. Some of the
transportation projects that have been
previously identified and are considered in the
Strategy are shown in Figure 2 and summarized
below:
• Strategies for improving safety and
reliability of the Malahat that included
options for treatments on the current
alignment, realignment, as well as
alternative routes and connections with
bridge, marine and rail alternatives.
• Strategies to address safety and mobility
for transit, trucks and cars along Highway
17 that included potential for interchanges
at major cross-streets, bus-on-shoulder
lanes for rapid transit, park-and-ride
facilities and access management along
the corridor.
• Widening and realignment options for
Highway 14 to serve growing demands for
travel by all modes between Sooke and
the Westshore communities.
• Planning for mobility improvements and
transit priority treatments on Highway 1 to
support the BC Transit Future Plan by
providing reliable connections between
Langford and downtown Victoria.
• Improved connections to inter-regional
services (i.e., emergency response) and
major entry points.
• Investments and agreements for cycling
improvements on key inter-regional
corridors.
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Figure 2. Previously Identified Inter-Regional Transportation Considerations
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2. Connecting Aspirations
Indigenous, local, regional and provincial
agencies throughout the South Island have
aspirations that are outlined in plans and
strategies that have common foundations. They
provide vision and objectives for the South
Island and highlight how a transportation system
supporting different travel options plays a vital
role in achieving those future goals.
Although the plans and strategies are unique
and point to slightly different actions depending
on the level of organization, they are very well
aligned to achieve a common vision. The
Strategy must support and reinforce these
aspirations. Although many aspects of these
strategies are important, the following shared
aspirations provide key foundations for a
common vision and strategy for the Strategy:
• Take Action on Climate Change
• Connect Communities
• Reduce Vehicle Dependency
• Ensure Sustainable Travel Options
• Support Active Transportation and
Healthy Living
• Grow the Economy
Climate Action
Broad support for and a sense of urgency to
address climate action has been expressed at all
levels of government and in Indigenous
communities. The Province’s Clean BC initiative
lays out a framework for climate action
throughout BC, including a targeted 60%
reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
and a commitment to zero-emissions vehicles
representing 100% of all vehicle sales by 2040.
Regional and local governments have followed
with similar GHG emissions reduction targets
and policies to increase the proportion of trips
made by sustainable travel modes.
Communities
The Government of British Columbia has focused
on making B.C. communities great places to live
with more affordable, safe and functional
housing and supporting local governments and
Indigenous communities. Regionally, both the
Capital Regional District (CRD) through the
Regional Growth Strategy and the Cowichan
Valley Regional District (CVRD) through the
Cowichan 2050 Regional Collaboration
Framework have identified growth management,
housing affordability and livability as key policy
areas. The pursuit of transportation investments
that facilitate regional and inter-regional travel
will help strengthen communities in these key
policy areas by focusing transportation
investments within and between identified
growth areas and improving less costly and
cleaner alternatives to private vehicle ownership.
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Transportation
The Province has established partnerships and
made significant investments in active
transportation and transit supportive
infrastructure and services in the South Island.
Consistent with these directions, the CRD
Regional Transportation Plan and BC Transit’s
Transit Future Plan, for example, identify targets
of up to 25% of trips by active travel modes in
urban areas by 2038, and 15% by transit by
2030. Planned investments in transit service and
transit infrastructure are identified in the Greater
Victoria and Cowichan Valley Transit Future
Plans, with an eye to broadening travel choices.
Active Transportation +
Healthy Living
Considerable emphasis has been placed
specifically on active transportation and healthy
lifestyles in recent years. This includes, at the
Provincial level, the recent release of Move.
Commute. Connect. – B.C.’s Active Transportation
Strategy that clarifies the Province’s intent to
invest in active transportation. Concurrent with
the Strategy was the release of the B.C. Active
Transportation Design Guide providing guidance
and consistency for active transportation
infrastructure throughout B.C., including the
South Island.
Regionally, initiatives such as the CRD’s
Pedestrian & Cycling Master Plan (PCMP) and
numerous local governments establishing active
transportation network plans and increasing
investment in active transportation infrastructure
highlight the importance of active transportation
and healthy lifestyles. The CRD’s Regional Trails
Management Plan is another resource that
identifies priorities for investment in the regional
trail network.
Economy
Transportation and particularly inter-regional
travel are critical to supporting a thriving local
economy. Efficient goods movement in and out
of the South Island, as well as varied attractive
travel options to facilitate tourist travel
throughout the region, for example, are some of
the ways that the inter-regional networks
support the local economy.
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3. South Island Communities + Gateways
The location, scale and type of growth in the
South Vancouver Island area influences travel
demand, travel choices, and the location and
nature of pressures on the transportation system
in the area.
Communities
The South Island is home to approximately
412,500 people between the 14 municipalities,
16 Indigenous traditional territories, and 2
Regional Districts. Geographically, this area
extends as far west as Sooke and as far north as
Duncan.
The population is expected to increase by
approximately 23.6% by 2038. The type and
location of future growth will determine how
transportation demand and travel characteristics
evolve in future.
The Capital Regional District (CRD) Regional
Growth Strategy, in combination with the
Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD)
Cowichan 2050: Regional Collaboration
Framework describe the preferred approach to
growth in the South Island.
Inter-regional transportation improvements are
to be planned to not only address current issues,
but also take into consideration how future
growth patterns will influence travel patterns.
The identified Growth Boundary contains the
bulk of current settlement and future growth,
while the Metropolitan Centre, Sub-Regional
Nodes, and Indigenous Communities are the key
destinations for regional and inter-regional
travel.
CRD Regional Growth Strategy (RGS)
The Growth Boundary is the area intended to
accommodate 95% of all new housing units and
where planned growth and major infrastructure
is encouraged. These areas are well established
and the concentration of growth ensures
resource, agricultural, and park land remains
largely undeveloped. The growth boundary
includes lands in the Core Area, West Shore, and
Saanich Peninsula. See Figure 3.
The settlement concept in the Regional Growth
Strategy identifies two key settlement
designations that influence travel demand:
1. A Metropolitan Centre is a regional
employment, business and cultural
destination that is a significant commuter
destination from all parts of the region.
Downtown Victoria is identified as the
Metropolitan Centre.
2. A Sub-Regional Node is an employment,
commercial and community destination
that serves as a commuter destination for
the sub-region. Uptown / Mayfair, Sidney,
Langford, Colwood, and Sooke are
identified as Sub-Regional Nodes.
Further, the South Island contains the traditional
territories of 16 distinct Indigenous communities,
each with varying levels of growth and
development planned.
CVRD Collaboration Framework
Growth management in the CVRD is primarily
addressed through the Official Community Plans
(OCPs) of the various Electoral Areas. Each
identifies an Urban Containment Boundary (UCB)
that is intended to concentrate future growth
into areas that are already developed or are
suitable for development. Recognizing the lack
of coordinated growth management between
local governments, the Collaboration Framework
highlights the CVRD’s plan to “harmonize” the
various OCPs to ensure consistency.
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Figure 3. Study Area Communities + Growth Boundaries
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Indigenous Communities
Indigenous communities were consulted to
ensure key transportation issues are identified
and community aspirations are reflected in this
document. Indigenous communities in the South
Island are identified in Figure 4.
A summary of feedback from Indigenous
communities is as follows:
• Economic development and addressing
climate change are key goals in most
communities. Transportation choices and
improved access to transit are seen as
opportunities to address these goals.
• Safety is a top priority in communities
throughout the South Island, with safe
walking facilities and adequate lighting
identified as highest priority.
• A significant number of community
members do not have access to a vehicle
and do not drive. Walking and cycling are
common travel modes, as is public transit
for longer distance trips.
• A lack of available travel options in certain
areas is a barrier to attending school and
accessing employment. Many individuals
also experience challenges accessing
health care and appointments, as well as
making trips for daily errands.
• Local transit service is viewed as not
meeting community needs. Issues with
schedules not providing service when
people need it (particularly in the evening)
and challenges making connections
between routes were noted.
• Unappealing transit service leads to
individuals relying on taxis, a more costly
alternative.
• The Cowichan Valley Commuter (CVC)
service is valued but the following barriers
are faced by riders:
• Cost ($10 each way, $200 per month)
• The limited schedule focused on
commuting forces people to
schedule their whole day around
using the service, including having to
leave home very early in the morning
• Lack of connections from local routes
to the Commuter route
• CVC ridership would be higher among
Indigenous community members if costs
were reduced, more schedule options
available, more park-and-ride facilities,
and with better integration with local
transit routes.
• A universal transit pass was identified as
an opportunity to improve fare payment
across the two transit systems (Victoria,
Cowichan Valley).
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Figure 4. Indigenous Communities in the South Island
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Transportation Gateways
The South Island area support several gateway
connections to other parts of Vancouver Island,
provincially and nationally/internationally. Each
contributes and supports vibrant communities
and economies across the entire Island and the
subject study area. Transportation systems that
serve and support these gateways are vital to
achieving provincial and regional vision and
aspirations. The transportation systems serving
these gateways and the interface between
gateways are critical to ensuring the effective
movement of people and goods throughout the
South Island.
Gateways are generally considered within three
categories, as follows:
1. International Gateways facilitate travel
between the South Island and international
destinations.
2. Provincial Gateways facilitate travel
between the South Island and provincial
destinations.
3. Island Gateways facilitate travel between
the South Island and other destinations on
Vancouver Island.
Six specific gateways are identified in the South
Island, as shown on Figure 5. An overview of
each gateway location is provided in Table 1.
Table 1. Key South Island Gateways
International
Victoria Airport
(YYJ)
Gateway
The Victoria International Airport is
the primary airport for the South
Island, facilitating over 2-million
passenger trips each year and freight
transport to a variety of destinations.
Passengers travel to/from the airport
by vehicle, taxi / shuttle, public
transit and by bicycle.
Sidney
Gateway
Located in Sidney, the Sidney /
Anacortes Ferry Terminal is the
departure / arrival point for the
international ferry service between
Sidney and Anacortes, Washington.
The ferry accommodates vehicles,
buses / shuttles, bicycle, and walk-on
passengers.
Victoria Harbour
Gateway
The Victoria Harbour is the gateway
for a variety of travel options from
beyond the South Island including
vehicle and passenger ferries, cruise
ships, floatplanes and the heliport.
Provincial
Swartz Bay
Gateway
The Swartz Bay Gateway facilitates
travel from the South Island to
Metro Vancouver and the Southern
Gulf Islands. Ferry services
accommodate vehicles, buses /
shuttles, bicycles and walk-on
passenger typically arriving at the
terminal by public transit or vehicle
drop-off, as well as playing a key
role in the movement of goods.
Island
Malahat
Gateway
The Malahat Gateway facilitates
travel to the South Island from
locations elsewhere on Vancouver
Island. This route primarily
accommodates vehicles and buses,
as well as goods movement.
Sooke
Gateway
The Sooke Gateway facilitates travel
between the South Island and
communities to the west of Sooke.
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Figure 5. Key South Island Transportation Gateways
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4. Inter-Regional & Regional Travel
How much, where, why and how people travel
are important considerations to understanding
current day challenges as well as how
sustainable transportation choices will serve
future growth in inter-regional travel demands.
Today, approximately 83,000 people trips enter
and leave the South Island area each day. Over
36% of those trips travel across the Malahat,
28% through the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal and
26% across Highway 14 (see Figure 6). The
remaining trips arrive through the Victoria
International Airport, as well as the Victoria
Harbour and Sidney / Anacortes Ferry Terminal.
The distribution of these inter-regional trips will
provide guidance into the transportation issues
and challenges on corridors across the South
Island as well as opportunities to provide
transportation choices. Figure 7 illustrates the
distribution of travel from the top three
gateways. In all cases, the core communities of
Victoria and Saanich are the principle destination
for daily travel from each gateway. For trips
entering and leaving from the Malahat and
Highway 14 gateways, the Western Communities
also comprise a significant portion of travel.
Figure 7. Distribution of Daily Travel Across Key Gateways
Figure 6. Daily Travel Across Key Gateways
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Regionally within the CRD, approximately 1.1-
million trips are made each day to, from and
within the region. These trips include South
Island residents making their daily commute to
work or school, regional trips to access services
or for recreational purposes, and inter-regional
freight and visitor trips by all modes.
As illustrated below in Figure 8, over two-thirds
of all trips within the CRD are made by vehicle
(either driver or passenger). Generally, the Core
Area communities (Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay,
Esquimalt) have a higher number of trips by
transit as well as walking and cycling as
compared to the West Shore and Saanich
Peninsula communities.
Figure 8. Existing Mode Choice
By 2038 the population of the South Island area
is projected to grow from approximately 412,500
to approximately 510,000 people. Regional
forecasts prepared by the CRD indicate that the
number of daily trips across the region will
increase from 1.1M to 1.3M trips.
For inter-regional travel across key gateways, the
population and employment growth levels
across the South Island provide the best means
of forecasting changes in travel demands along
with other factors such as changes to the
transportation system and macro-economics on
the Island. For the purpose of the Strategy,
growth forecasts would suggest that the
inter-regional travel would increase by
approximately 15,000 trips per day by 2038
to and from the South Island. It is worth noting
that historical growth rates at the Victoria
International Airport are expected to continue
with planned expansion and current forecasts of
3.7% per year.
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5. South Island Transportation System Highlights
The South Island area is served by a regional and
provincial network of roads, regional and inter-
regional transit services and facilities for
customers, a network of active transportation
facilities that connect municipalities and regions,
as well as marine and air transportation services
that serve travel outside the study area.
Each of the transportation systems are governed,
financed, operated and maintained by various
agencies local, regional, provincial and national
transportation agencies and organizations. In
most cases, agencies have worked together on
managing existing facilities as well as planning
future upgrades and expansions to better serve
travel beyond their own boundaries of
responsibility and support inter-regional travel
patterns. This includes identifying opportunities
to better integrate the various travel modes,
which historically has been a key issue with the
transportation system in the South Island.
This section of the Transportation Snapshot
highlights the existing and planned
transportation systems that serve inter-regional
travel to and from the South Island area.
The principal features of the current
transportation systems are highlighted, historic
and current day travel patterns are explored,
performance measures are considered where
appropriate and current plans of the governing
agencies responsible for the systems are
identified.
These highlights will form a fact-based approach
to identifying key technical issues and challenges
that can be considered with Indigenous
communities, agencies and other stakeholders to
demonstrate the long-term transportation needs
for the South Island area.
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South Island Transportation System Highlights
Highways + Regional Serving Road Network
Highways and regional serving roads facilitate
the inter-regional travel of vehicles, trucks,
public transit and active transportation,
connecting key gateways, urban centres and
Indigenous communities throughout the South
Island. They are supported by other municipal
arterials, which provide access to/from key
destinations within and between communities
within the CVRD and CRD. Figure 9 below
illustrates the inter-regional serving roadway
networks across the study area along with daily
traffic volumes.
Figure 9. Inter-Regional Serving Road Network
+ Traffic Volumes (AADT)
The provincial highway system through the
South Island is centred on four primary corridors.
1. Highway 1 provides east-west
connections between the Western
Communities and the core areas of the
CRD as well as serves travel between the
Cowichan Valley and other parts of the
Island to the north with the CRD and other
provincial, national and international
gateways. North of the Malahat, Highway
1 supports approximately 25,000 vehicles
per day and increases to up to 85,000
vehicles per day west of McKenzie Avenue.
Trucks account for approximately 12% of
the daily travel on the corridor.
2. Highway 17 serves the Saanich Peninsula
area and supports provincial and
national/international connections for the
Island through ferry terminals and the
Victoria International Airport. The corridor
supports approximately 39,360 and 57,500
vehicles per day in the north and south
sections respectively. Trucks account for
6% of the daily corridor traffic.
3. Highway 14 serves the most westerly
parts of the CRD and connects
communities such as Sooke and Port
Renfrew with the West Shore communities
to the Core Area of the CRD. Between
Sooke and Langford, Highway 14 supports
approximately 16,000 vehicles per day and
8.5% truck traffic.
4. McKenzie Avenue connecting Highways 1
and 17 providing connectivity between the
Saanich Peninsula and Western
Communities. McKenzie Avenue supports
approximately 35,000 vehicles per day.
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As previously noted, the highway system and
other regional serving roads in the South Island
support significant transit service, goods
movement and vehicle travel. The performance
of major corridors in terms of mobility, reliability
and safety impacts everything from travel mode
choice through to economic and social
connectivity. Mobility refers to the typical,
everyday travel time and reliability captures the
variability or additional time to account for in
planning travel.
1 All references in this section are to conditions prior to the McKenzie Interchange opening
Figure 101 below highlights the typical and
higher ranges of travel time between key inter-
regional travel patterns today and 2038 with
planned growth and no changes to the
transportation system. For example, a typical trip
from Mill Bay to Victoria today would take
approximately 43 minutes during the AM peak
and as long as 66 minutes on some days. With
expected growth, this same trip would take up to
87 minutes on a typical day and up to 144
minutes with variability of conditions.
The COVID-19 situation has impacted travel
times and will continue to be monitored to
better understand the effects of the pandemic
on the network.
Figure 10. Travel Time between Key Inter-
Regional Origins/Destinations
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Safety or collisions along the provincial highway
system and other regional serving roadways
affect overall comfort and well-being of travel in
the South Island area and can also impact
reliability and connectivity for most travel. For
those where there are few alternative routes to
get around the South Island, higher collision
corridors will impact connectivity to key inter-
regional gateways as well as between urban
areas and Indigenous communities.
Figure 11 illustrates the historical collision rates
for highways in the study area. Higher than
average collision rates mean that crashes relative
to traffic volumes are higher when compared to
similar highways in British Columbia.
The higher collision locations in the core areas of
the CRD along Highway 17 and Highway 1 occur
at signalized intersections which is typical for
most major roadways. Similarly, higher collision
areas on the Peninsula along Highway 17 occur
at the signalized intersections along the corridor.
Highways 1 and 14 entering and leaving the
South Island area have fewer locations of higher
collision rates. For these corridors, the lack of
alternative routes impacts overall connectivity
between Island communities and other
economic and personal travel.
Beyond the impact of collisions on reliability and
connectivity, other unplanned closures impact
the highway system in the South Island area. As
identified in Table 2, the highest frequency of
unplanned closures is experienced on Highway 1
(approximately 12 per year), whereas the
magnitude of the closures is typically greatest on
Highway 17 and Highway 14.
Table 2. Unplanned Highway Closures
(2011 to 2015)
Closures
(per year)
Avg.
Duration
Max.
Closure
Hwy 1
Malahat 12.0 1.8 hrs 20.9 hrs
Hwy 14
Victoria to
Sooke
5.6 2.1 hrs 6.6 hrs
Hwy 17
Victoria to
Sidney
3.2 2.4 hrs 6.6 hrs
Figure 11. Historical Collision Rates
(2010 to 2014)
High
Medium
Low
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South Island Transportation System Highlights
Goods Movement
The 2018 Vancouver Island Economic Alliance
report highlighted the fact that the Island is in
the fifth year of an economic expansion as a
result of the improved global economy and local
population growth. The employment rate on
Vancouver Island is among the highest in the
province (BC Stats Monthly Labour Force
Statistics), and that the labour markets are a
challenge. Goods-producing sectors of the
economy make up almost 20% of the labour
force and 80% in the Service-producing sectors
across the Island.
Within the South Island, the movement of goods
and services are essential to the local and overall
Island economy. As illustrated in Figure 12, the
provincial highway system and many of the
regional serving roadways are designated as
truck routes. Highway 1 west of Old Island
Highway and Highway 17 north of McKenzie
Avenue both serve almost 3,500 trucks per day.
These and other designated truck routes connect
areas of key industrial activity areas such as
Keating Cross Road / Central Saanich, as well as
planned industrial expansion at Centre Mountain
in Langford and Bamberton, through gateways
across the Island as well as to other parts of the
province through the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal /
Seaspan and the Victoria International Airport.
Preserving and maintaining mobility and
reliability along identified corridors requires
partnership and cooperation between the
Ministry and South Island communities.
Reliability issues, particularly on Highway 1 and
17 as identified above, adversely affect the
efficiency and reliability of goods movement and
negatively impact the local economy. Improving
the connectivity of urban and rural areas for the
movement of people and goods will assist the
resource sectors and employment centres in the
South Island, which support the economy of this
region and the province.
Figure 12. Regional Goods Movement
Corridors + % Truck Traffic
The Seaspan facility at the Swartz Bay Terminal
accommodates 350 to 400 shipping containers
per day. The current facility cannot meet
demand for container storage and shipments are
regularly diverted to larger facilities in Nanaimo.
This requires that containers are driven between
Nanaimo and the South Island, heightening the
importance of Highway 1 and the Malahat in
facilitating goods movement. The bulk of the
port activity on Vancouver Island is expected to
continue to be accommodated in Nanaimo.
Looking beyond the Island toward broader
international markets, the Government of
Canada has granted Foreign Trade Zone
designation for Vancouver Island, exempting
customs duties and taxes and working to
support a sustainable Island economy.
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South Island Transportation System Highlights
Public Transportation
Transit has the potential to support many of the
broader policy objectives for communities,
climate change, transportation and the economy
for the South Island, in addition to supporting
matters of affordability and social equity. BC
Transit in partnership with local governments
plan and coordinate the delivery of transit
services in the South Island. Transit operations
and maintenance is carried out directly by BC
Transit in the Victoria Regional Transit System,
whereas operations and maintenance is carried
out by a contracted operating company in the
Cowichan Valley Regional Transit System. The
Provincial Government contributes a portion of
both operating and capital costs to support
transit services and infrastructure investments in
the South Island. In 2018/19, the Provincial
operating cost contribution was $40-million.
Transit ridership in the South Island reached 28-
million passenger trips annually - approximately
82,500 per weekday - in 2018/19, an increase of
seven percent in the past 5 years.
Direct, frequent and reliable transit services are
essential to support and attract inter-regional
and regional travel. Figure 13 illustrates the
primary corridors providing inter-regional and
regional transit service in the South Island with
the daily transit ridership.
As illustrated, Highways 1 and 17 as well as
Douglas Street and McKenzie Avenue all serve as
the primary corridors for regional and inter-
regional transit travel in the South Island. Peak
transit service frequencies along these corridors
vary from every 3 to 5 minutes along the
Douglas Street / Highway 1 corridor to every 6
to 10 minutes along Highway 17 and the Old
Island Highway. The commuter service across the
Malahat offers a total of 8 trips per weekday (4
each direction) concentrated during peak
commuter periods, and 6 trips (3 in each
direction) on Saturdays.
Figure 13. Inter-Regional Transit Network
+ Daily Transit Ridership
Access to these core services are supported by 8
formal existing park-and-rides found at
strategically located sites to support multiple
travel choice connections, in addition to other
informal locations where park-and-ride activities
take place. Park-and-ride facilities are
strategically located in close proximity to
neighbourhoods where commuters start their
travel to make connections with transit an
attractive choice. As part of an inter-modal trip,
attractive and accessible active transportation
facilities providing access to major transit stop
locations will make transit a more appealing
option for regional and inter-regional travel.
The direct, frequent transit services in the region
and supporting active transportation
infrastructure have been planned and
implemented to connect urban centres in the
region as well as key gateways to support
regional travel. Figure 14 illustrates the principal
locations for connecting with regional transit
services as represented by daily passenger
boardings.
SOUTH ISLAND TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY | TRANSPORTATION SNAPSHOT | 21
Looking ahead, the Victoria Regional Transit
Commission has established an aggressive goal
to increase transit mode share from 7.5% today
regionally to 12% of all travel within the Capital
Regional District. The primary markets to achieve
these targets are in the Core Areas as well as
within and between designated urban centres
such as Uptown, Sidney, Colwood, Langford and
Sooke.
Similarly, a significant increase in ridership is
envisioned for the Cowichan Valley Regional
Transit System, with a goal of 1.2-million
passenger trips in 2036 (2.5-times 2018 ridership
levels). The growth in ridership is to be achieved
through strengthening the inter-city service
between Duncan and Victoria, and the regional
services connecting with surrounding
communities, as well as through service
expansion in areas such as Mill Bay and
Shawnigan Lake.
Recognizing the current structure of the transit
system, current transit customer markets as well
as the mode share targets for transit across the
South Island, improving travel times and
reliability are increasingly important to attracting
and supporting transit ridership growth. As
described in previous sections, travel time
reliability is already an issue on some of the
busiest transit corridors in the South Island. This
affects both service quality for transit customers
and the cost to provide service.
Figure 14. Transit Boardings,
Inter-Regional Routes
The Victoria Regional Transit Commission
recently reaffirmed a priority to work with the
Provincial and local governments toward
completing a system of priority bus lanes along
Highway 1 and Old Island Highway between
Langford and Downtown Victoria. Refer to
Figure 15. As previously illustrated, this corridor
already supports the highest transit ridership
today and planned growth will necessitate
additional service capacity and improved
reliability to support significantly increased
ridership. The proposed services would improve
needed connections between Langford,
Colwood, Uptown, and Downtown Victoria as
well as the University of Victoria and
surrounding area.
SOUTH ISLAND TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY | TRANSPORTATION SNAPSHOT | 22
Beyond this improved east-west transit
connection, the Victoria Region Transit Future
Plan and the Province’s Highway 17 Corridor
Strategy identified the potential of implementing
bus lanes and other transit priority infrastructure
in future to support increased transit services
and improved reliability between Swartz Bay,
Uptown and Downtown Victoria.
Additional park-and-ride facilities have been
identified in Transit Future Plans around inter-
regional transit corridors, primarily focused on
locations on Highway 1 north of the Malahat and
along Highway 17. These areas are generally
more difficult to effectively serve with local
transit and more likely to utilize park-and-ride
facilities.
Figure 15. Victoria Downtown – West Shore Transit Priority Corridor Improvements
SOUTH ISLAND TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY | TRANSPORTATION SNAPSHOT | 23
South Island Transportation System Highlights
Marine
As the southern point of Vancouver Island, ferry
service is critical to access to the region. Beyond
moving passenger vehicles to Metro Vancouver
and other nearby regions, ferry services facilitate
goods movement and tourist travel.
Ferry services operate at three of the identified
regional gateways – Swartz Bay, Sidney, and
Victoria Harbour. Highway and regional road
connections to these locations facilitate vehicle
and truck travel, as well as support facilities
accommodating transit and active
transportation.
The Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal is the most
significant of the marine travel options, where
service is provided to Metro Vancouver and the
Gulf Islands and daily passenger volumes over
20,000. Ferry routes, service levels, and
passenger and vehicle ridership are described in
Table 3 and Figure 16.
Table 3. Ferry Services + Ridership
Route Operator Veh /
Day
Pass /
Day
Swartz Bay-
Tsawwassen BC Ferries 5,500 17,500
Swartz Bay –
Fulford Harbour BC Ferries 900 1,900
Swartz Bay –
S. Gulf Islands BC Ferries 700 1,400
Mill Bay –
Brentwood Bay BC Ferries 300 600
Sidney -
Anacortes
Washington
State DOT 120 -
Victoria - Port
Angeles Black Ball 350 2,000
Figure 16. South Island Ferry Services
SOUTH ISLAND TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY | TRANSPORTATION SNAPSHOT | 24
South Island Transportation System Highlights
Air
Air travel to/from the South Island is facilitated
primarily through the Victoria International
Airport (YYJ). Currently ten airlines provide
service through the Victoria International Airport
to 14 destinations. Passenger volumes for 2018
surpassed 2-million and are expected to grow as
much as 3.5% per year to approximately 2.5-
million passenger trips by 2031. See Figure 17.
Reliable and varied transportation options
to/from the Victoria Airport are critical to
continuing to support the Airport’s expansion
and providing a good traveler experience. This
includes highway and regional roads facilitating
vehicles, taxi, shuttle and transit services, as well
as public transit service and regional active
transportation networks.
Air travel is also facilitated through the Victoria
Harbour, where seaplane and helicopter services
are provided to six destinations. These services
accommodated approximately 200,000
passengers per year, about 10% of the
passenger volumes through the Victoria
International Airport. Connecting transportation
options are less vehicle-focused than at YYJ, and
include walking, cycling, shuttles, and taxis.
Figure 17. Victoria Airport Projected Passenger Travel Forecasts
SOUTH ISLAND TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY | TRANSPORTATION SNAPSHOT | 25
South Island Transportation System Highlights
Active Transportation
The inter-regional active transportation network
consists of corridors that provide dedicated
active transportation facilities over long
distances throughout the South Island. These
facilities support both commuter and
recreational cycling, as well as other forms of
active transportation, and are supported by
connections to on- and off-road cycling facilities
provided by regional and local governments.
The four key inter-regional active transportation
routes are shown on Figure 18 and described
below:
• The Galloping Goose Regional Trail is
approximately 55-km long and connects
downtown Victoria to Sooke.
• The Lochside Regional Trail is
approximately 29-km long and connects
Saanich and the Galloping Goose Regional
Trail to the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal.
• The E+N Rail Trail is approximately 17-km
long and connects Victoria to Langford.
• The TransCanada Trail (Cowichan Valley
Trail) is 100-km+ long and connects
Langford and the Galloping Goose
Regional Trail to Duncan.
Bicycle use and other forms of active
transportation are further facilitated by support
facilities that enhance the inter-regional network,
such as bicycle parking (typically provided as
either lockers for long-term parking or racks for
short-term parking), shower / change facilities at
key destinations and bike parking / racks on
public transit and marine travel (i.e., ferries).
Cycling volumes are highest on inter-regional
routes such as the Galloping Goose and
Lochside trails. Recent development of All Ages
and Abilities (AAA) facilities, particularly in
Victoria and Saanich, have led to significant
increases in cycling volumes on key corridors.
Figure 18. Inter-Regional Active
Transportation Network
A number of the South Island municipalities
have developed cycling network and active
transportation network plans in recent years with
the intent to build-out AAA networks to realize
increases in cycling trips. While primarily
accommodating local and regional cycling trips,
these networks also support inter-regional
cycling by connecting to key gateways. This
regional emphasis on the cycling network
buildout aligns with the Province’s objectives as
outlined in the Active Transportation Strategy
and Move. Commute. Connect.
Existing
Proposed
SOUTH ISLAND TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY | TRANSPORTATION SNAPSHOT | 26
South Island Transportation System Highlights
Island Rail Corridor
The Island Rail Corridor (formerly the E & N
Railway) is a short line railway on Vancouver
Island, running parallel to the main Island
Highway between Victoria and Courtenay, plus a
branch line to Port Alberni operating parallel to
Highway 4. The corridor is owned by the Island
Corridor Foundation (ICF) and is operated under
contract by the Southern Railway of Vancouver
Island (SRVI). It consists of two tracks: a 225km
track between Victoria and Courtenay, with a
64km branch line from Parksville to Port Alberni
and from just south of Nanaimo to the railway’s
main rail yard and barge slip (dock) on the
Nanaimo waterfront. Refer to Figure 19.
Figure 19. Island Rail Corridor, by segment
The ICF took over ownership of the corridor
(Victoria and Port Alberni Subdivisions, Wellcox
Spur and Wellcox Yard) in 2006 when it came to
agreements with both CP Rail and RailAmerica to
assume all rail assets in exchange for CP Rail and
RailAmerica receiving federal tax credits.
Southern Railway of Vancouver Island (SVI) was
appointed as railway service provider for the
system by the ICF in 2006. In 2011, VIA
passenger service stopped running due to safety
concerns with the track and bridge conditions.
The SVI continued to operate a freight rail
service until 2012. SVI continues to maintain the
Victoria Subdivision and Wellcox Spur to operate
a freight rail service within a 10-mile (16km)
radius around Wellcox Yard in Nanaimo. SVI
continues to monitor and inspect the Victoria
Subdivision and Wellcox assets.
The ICF, as an organization, is made up of Board
of Directors. Membership is limited to local
governments (five Regional Districts) and
fourteen Indigenous governments whose
territories are wholly or partly within the
geographic area of the corridor.
A number of studies have been completed in the
past ten years looking at the feasibility of
restoring rail on the corridor, including a
commuter service between Langford and
Victoria shown in Figure 20.
Figure 20. Commuter Rail Service Concept,
Langford to Victoria
SOUTH ISLAND TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY | TRANSPORTATION SNAPSHOT | 27
South Island Transportation System Highlights
Transportation Demand Management (TDM)
Transportation demand management (TDM)
refers to initiatives that reduce emissions and
other negative impacts of private automobile
travel by encouraging use of other modes,
reducing the number and length of vehicle trips,
and shifting trips to less congested times and
routes.
The successful implementation of TDM relies on
government leadership, as well as commitment
and innovation from a variety of other
organizations. The following are examples:
• Local government encouraging or
requiring TDM in land development
• Major employers offering financial
incentives for non-vehicular travel to
address parking challenges or impacts on
surrounding neighbourhoods
• Policy or financial support for non-
vehicular travel, typically offered by senior
government levels
• Encouraging non-vehicular travel during
special events or to address congestion
during construction
• Education or promotional programs to
introduce new travel choices
The following are examples of TDM initiatives
that have been pursued in the South Island:
• A Universal Bus Pass (‘U-Pass’) is a
mandatory semester transit pass included
in post-secondary student tuition entitling
the individual to unlimited transit use. The
U-Pass program is in-place at the
University of Victoria, Camosun College,
and Royal Roads University.
• The ProPASS is an employer bus pass
program offering monthly transit passes
deducted via payroll at a reduced rate to
any organization committing ten or more
individuals. An estimated 70 organizations
comprising 3,000+ employees participate
in the program.
• A Carshare service consists of a fleet of
collectively owned vehicles that individuals
typically pay membership dues and costs
associated with the time and length of
trips. The two primary carshare operators
in the South Island consisting of
approximately 85 vehicles.
• Bike to Work Week is perhaps the most
successful TDM promotional event in the
South Island, attracting more than 10,000
participants during the last week of May
each year.
• Similar to carshare, bikeshare systems
consist of a fleet of collectively owned
bicycles. One-way bikeshare systems
operate in the core municipalities and
Langford, while two-way systems are
offered at select employment and hotel
sites in the region.
SOUTH ISLAND TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY | TRANSPORTATION SNAPSHOT | 28
South Island Transportation System Highlights
New Mobility
New mobility refers to transportation services
made possible by mobile technology and real-
time location data, including ride hailing,
rideshare, car share, bike share, and micro-
transit. Previously only a concept, forms of new
mobility have begun to take shape in the South
Island over the past few years and provide a
glimpse into our changing transportation
system.
Established services such as rideshare and
carshare continue to expand, now with over 70
carshare vehicles in the South Island. More
recent and emerging options include bike
sharing services and ride-hailing, which was
recently permitted by way of provincial
legislation and is currently under discussion how
they will be regulated at the local level. Other
new mobility options such as autonomous
vehicles are still years from having an impact.
Each of these travel options share a common
reliance on mobile technology and real-time
location data to provide users with custom travel
options. They present the opportunity to make
more effective use of existing infrastructure,
reduce reliance on single-occupant vehicles,
enhance safety, and broaden the travel options
available in the South Island. While the potential
benefits are significant, there are numerous
issues to addressed as new mobility options
materialize. This uncertainty highlights the need
for aligned provincial and local policy that
ensures new mobility options are brought
forward within a framework that supports
community objectives.
Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles (EVs) and EV charging
infrastructure is one area that has rapidly
expanded over the past five years, and is
expected to continue to grow given the
Province’s commitment to 100% of all vehicle
sales being zero-emissions vehicles EVs by 2040.
An estimated 2,000 EVs are owned and operated
in the South Island and the Province continues
to support EV ownership by subsidizing the
purchase of a new EV through the Clean Energy
Vehicle Program.
There are approximately 120 charging stations in
the South Island as of September 2019,
according to ChargeHub. The network of
charging stations is anticipated to grow as
regional and local governments install new
stations at public facilities and require EV
charging in new development. The expanding
network of public and private charging stations
will continue to support EV owners and address
“range anxiety” among both current and
prospective EV owners.
EVs play an important role in meeting inter-
regional travel demand, providing the same level
of mobility as conventional vehicles but with
reduced GHG emissions consistent with both
provincial and local policies.
SOUTH ISLAND TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY | TRANSPORTATION SNAPSHOT | 29
6. Summary
Challenges / Opportunities
The inter-regional transportation challenges and
opportunities identified in this document can be
arranged into the following five key themes. The
extent to which each challenge is experienced in
the different areas of the South Island will help
guide where investments are made.
A summary of key inter-regional transportation
challenges are described below:
Safety
A priority throughout the South Island, safety
issues are particularly evident along Highway 1
and Highway 17 where collision rates are highest
at select major intersections. Improvements to
the active transportation networks, such as
crossings and separation from traffic, reduces
the conflict with vehicles.
Reliability
Greater variation in travel time is an indicator of
reduced reliability. The outlying areas of the
South Island along the Highway 17 and Highway
14 corridors, and sections of Highway 1 outside
the core areas experience issues with reliability.
Improvements to the active transportation
networks, such as crossings and separation from
traffic, reduces the conflict with vehicles.
Sustainability
A shift to sustainable transportation modes is a
priority throughout the province and South
Island. Core areas and communities along
Highway 14 and Highway 17 where travel
distances, settlement patterns, and infrastructure
make active transportation and transit desirable
travel options are where the priority is highest
for investment in sustainable travel modes.
Network Redundancy
Alternate route options ensure traffic is balanced
and emergency services have options in case of
closures. Redundancy issues are most significant
along Highway 14 and Highway 1 / Malahat
where alternate routes are limited.
Connectivity
Community connections are of greatest concern
in the core areas, Highway 14 and Highway 1,
and improvements targeting enhanced
connectivity are highest priority in these
locations. Strengthening connections between
travel modes is also a key opportunity for
improvement. Improvements targeting better
connections are the highest priority in these
locations. Strengthening connections between
travel modes is also a key opportunity for
improvement to support the goals for integrated
transportation development.
SOUTH ISLAND TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY | TRANSPORTATION SNAPSHOT | 30
Informing Next Steps
The understanding of South Island travel
characteristics and inter-regional transportation
challenges presented in this document are
intended to inform subsequent project phases.
These include revisiting the previously planned
initiatives highlighted in Section 1 to determine
the extent to which they align with changing
regional priorities, particularly with respect to
climate change and the emphasis on sustainable
transportation modes.
The next steps for the Strategy process are
focused on identifying improvements for
multiple travel modes and strategies that best
address core inter-regional transportation
challenges and priorities. Identified investments
are to align with the overall goals for the
Strategy, while specifically addressing the key
transportation challenges and opportunities in
different areas of the South Island. Identified
improvements and strategies will be the focus of
medium- and long-term investments from both
the Province and local partners.
The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the
need to be responsive and adaptable to
changing situations that can affect all aspects of
day-to-day life. While it is still unknown what the
lasting effects of the pandemic may be, the core
values that make up the long-term strategy for a
sustainable growth and a healthy economy
remain unchanged. The current situation shows
the need for a resilient and sustainable
transportation system that can aid in our
immediate recovery.